National Holiday in Indonesia

Dates of Independence Day

When is it?

Always celebrated on August 17, this is Indonesia's national day and marks Indonesia's declaration of independence from the Netherlands in 1945.

History of the holiday

Indonesia had been a Dutch colony for over 300 years when a group of revolutionaries declared independence on August 17, 1945.

It took Indonesians four years of diplomacy and armed struggle before their independence was formally granted by Queen Juliana of the Netherlands.

Despite the granting of independence in 1945, it wasn't until 2005, that the Netherlands declared that they had decided to accept the date of 17 August 1945 as the date of Indonesia’s independence.

Indonesia is an archipelago of over 17,000 islands. It is the world's fourth most populous country.

How is it celebrated?

This national holiday is celebrated throughout Indonesia with parades, community gatherings, athletic events involving adults and children such as sack races, and a multitude of cultural and performing arts festivals.

Traditions also include eating Indonesian crackers (known as 'krupuk') or fruit hanging on a string and climbing a pinang tree to reach for a prize.

National Flag

The national flag of Indonesia is called 'Sang Saka Merah-Putih' (the sacred red and white) and was unveiled on August 17, 1945. The design is derived from the banner of Majapahit Empire in East Java which ruled in the region before the arrival of the Dutch. The flag consists two equal horizontal stripes; the top red and the bottom white. The red represents courage and the white is purity.

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